


Snake Charmer

by Talinor



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Meeting, Gorgon Lotor (Voltron), Greek Mythology AU, Keitor Month 2018, M/M, Oracle Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 13:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14356338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talinor/pseuds/Talinor
Summary: Usually, the child would follow the strange men from the shadows he knew all too well. They were simple and fairly easy to evade if the surrounding terrain was known. At least, that was what the child presumed. For many trips, that was indeed the case.But one fateful night was all it took to change all of that.





	Snake Charmer

**Author's Note:**

> this idea's been lingering in my idea forever, so I took the opportunity to get it out for Keitor Month  
> might as well get something out for it at least  
> writer's block has been kicking my ass  
> enjoy!

Eons ago, there was a man who fell in love with a God.

Such a being was... eccentric looking, to say the least. A devilish deviance of the heavens ever since the day he was born. Eyes of scintillating yellow and blue, the pupils always slit like a snake's. Most of his skin was smooth as a human's would be, but it was a freakish light lilac rather than a normal shade. His ears were pointed as an imp's, his teeth naturally pointing into sharp flesh-piercing fangs. But none of those details were the worst ones about him.

His worst details were quite obvious- his hair and his lack of legs. His hair, for one, wasn't hair at all. It was dozens of white baby snakes attached to the back of his skull, arranged much like hair would normally be. Each had a mind of their own, writhing and curling amongst themselves as soon as he was unfortunately given breath.

On the other hand, he didn't have anything resembling legs. Instead, he bore from the torso down the snake tail the fellows attached to his head didn't get to have. It was a gradual transition from purple flesh to thick white scales. Such details only cemented how such a creature shouldn't be allowed the blessing of life.

So, in order to appease the gods for whatever grievous deeds they must have done to deserve such a monster as their kin, his parents dropped the horrific infant into the rushing river. They hoped the water would wash away both his brief life and their apparent sins.

That was not the case.

The little babe was more resilient than he had looked, and the water was kind upon him. Instead of pushing him down into its depth to drown, it calmly and gently transported him down its length. He barely had to hold his breath during the entire endeavor. The trip was so safe and secure, the little infant found himself being lulled to sleep by the water's gentle hands.

When he awoke, it was at the bank of a great and bountiful forest. So thick and lush with trees that a lonely and foolhardy adventurer could quite easily get swallowed up by it. A place full of life, yet also vaguely threatening mystery. Fruits fell into the river nearly all year round and were carried to almost the exact same spot as he had been, into the very heart of the forest. It would be all too easy to disappear into obscurity in such a place.

It was absolutely perfect. The little being was home.

For years, he dwelt alone among the trees. He made a home out of the loneliness and mystery. He thrived off the fruit of the trees and any unfortunate animals he needed to feed on for sustenance. It was a fairly simple existence, but quite a happy one nonetheless.

Until humans did as they do best- move in to where they don't belong and ruin life for the ones who were there first. They crept into the outskirts and began creeping in, much like a virus would. They made their homes by stealing parts of the being's own. The smoke from their campfires and traveling party's torches burned leaves and choked the smaller inhabitants of the forest.

Usually, the child would follow the strange men from the shadows he knew all too well. They were simple and fairly easy to evade if the surrounding terrain was known. At least, that was what the child presumed. For many trips, that was indeed the case.

But one fateful night was all it took to change all of that.

This particular party was smaller than usual- three grown men trailing behind a young boy about the same age as the being. Such a sight piqued the young child's curiosity, making him blind to what he'd normally be more attentive to. He listened attentively as they made their particular calls he had no way of understanding.

"I don't like this place," a particular one said. The child didn't understand what he was saying, but he'd seen enough dying animals to know the emotions behind his words- fear. It was obvious in everything about his stature. He was afraid of... something. The child had no idea as to what. "It's far past nightfall. Why are we still out here?"

"We're so close to the gods' hidden blessing," another, bigger, man spoke. His voice reminded the child of boulders tumbling down a mountainside. He tugged on a knit arrangement of strange metal vines and the child in front moved along with it from the metal around his wrists. "Aren't we, Oracle?"

The boy, 'Oracle', seemed unhappy with that. For the first time, the child saw his face. It was pale as the moon's rays, with shoulder-length hair kin to the riverbed on the darkest of nights. But the most stunning details about him was his eyes- all alone, they were absolutely _mesmerizing._ They were clear as the river's calm waters, constantly shifting in a lulling pattern. Unlike the other humans he'd seen, they didn't have a black dot in the center of the color. It was strange, yet new and exciting. This human was the most like him he'd ever seen, and that easily captured his attention.

He was so preoccupied with the unconventional beauty that seemed more familiar than anything else that he almost missed what the 'Oracle' said. "I have a name, you know," he said coldly. "It's Keith. Find the decency to use it, and I shall answer your question."

'Keith.' Kee-th. The name had little meaning to the boy, but it was quick to enrapture his mind. So much so that he didn't see the loose branch on his current path until it was too late to truly do anything about it. Before he knew it, his newly aching back was on the forest floor with four sets of eyes upon him.

The men were quick to react to his announced presence. Fear and disgust were on the men's faces. Mild interest was on the boy's.

"What _is_ that?" The fearful one asked.

"I don't know," the one holding the metal vines said. "But it looks like it'd be awfully expensive to the right exotic merchants." He looked to the silent one with an unmoving face. "Druid, you know what to do."

As soon as the first step toward him was taken, a strange energy awoke in him. As one, his normally unruly snakes surged up together. He closed his eyes and covered them with his hands. Some previously silent instinct told him it was the right thing to do in the moment. He had no time to reconsider.

"Are you sure about this, Sendak? This seems like a bad ide--"

"Hush, Prorok," the gruff one interrupted. "Be a coward some other time."

For a moment, all the snakes hissed in warning together. Then they fell silent. The strange energy coursing through him like the river's rushes grew stronger.

"Wisdom is not cowardice," Kee-th said. "You should listen to your friend."

"You be quiet, too. You can't even _see_ it."

Kee-th let out a short puff of wind. "Very well."

As soon as a cool hand touched him, the energy seemed to burn as intensely as the sun. _Now,_ it seemed to instruct him. He didn't know the sound, but he knew what it meant. He moved his hands away and opened his eyes as the energy seemed to course right through them and those of his snakes.

Only when they laid eyes on him after that did he realize his true power.

The silent one jerked away from him, but it was too late. In a dry and cracked voice, they started to speak, "Lotor-" but didn't get past one full sound before they stiffened and turned into light grey rock. The others weren't that lucky. They transformed without a single sound.

At least, most of the others did.

Only Kee-th was still moving once the energy burned out with a blink. He was tugging against the metal vines that held him. They did not change completely, but a good portion of what the gruff one held became the same as him. Kee-th was struggling to break it, and without a second thought, the boy moved forward to assist him. With the strength of two, the light grey metal vines were quick to break off... along with a portion of the one who held them.

Kee-th looked to him appreciatively. "Finally," he said with another puff of wind. "Out of all the outcomes I saw, I was _really_ hoping for this one." A corner of his mouth quirked up in the boy's direction, which strangely made his stomach flutter as a butterfly's wings would. "I hope our paths cross again, Lotor."

He started along the path the party was headed, and was quick to disappear into the forest. Part of the boy was concerned for him, but it was easily assuaged. His new instinct assured him wordlessly that such a resourceful boy would be fine. They would meet each other again.

"Lo... Lo-tor." He spoke to the dead night air as he left the rock people behind for the blanket of the forest. It had a nice ring to it. He liked it.

He decided to keep it.

**Author's Note:**

> there will probably be a part 2 to this from Keith's POV in the future   
> comments are always appreciated!  
> my tumblr: squishy--squish


End file.
